Thirds to isaac fegely and edgar s



(No Model.)

.2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. MoOARTI-IY. BLAST FURNACE TUYERE VALVE.

No. 394,384. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

N4 PETERS. Photo-Lithograph )Nnhin nm. 0.0.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

F. MOOARTHY.

BLAST FURNACE TUYERE VALVE.

No. 394,3 8 Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

8W0 Mob Elm M Ca/rifiy,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX MCCARTHY, OF POTTSTOIVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF T\VO- THIRDS TO ISAAC FEGELY AND EDGAR h. (()()K, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

BLAST-FURNACE TUYERE-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,384, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed October 13 1887- Serial No. 252,210. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX MCCARTHY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Blast-Furnace Tuyere-Valves, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide efficient means for removing from the tuyerelegs and belly-pipes of blast-furnaces molten slag which may gain access to the tuyerelegs and pipes by accident or irregular working of the furnace, as fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional View, partly in elevation, of sufficient of a blast-furnace to illustrate my invention; and Figs. 2, 3, and i are views illustrating other means of carrying out the invention.

Referring to Fig. l, A is the furnace, of the usual construction; B, the hot-blast pipe extending around the lower portion of the furnace; 0, one of the tuyeres; D, the waterblock of the same; E, the belly-pipe, and F the leg-pipe, these two pipes, with the elbow G, forming the connection between the blastpipe 13 and tuyere (J.

The belly-pipe E and elbow G are held in contact with each other by means of a link, 6, and spring, 8, which allow expansion and contraction of the parts without impairing the joint. The leg-pipe F is provided with a suitable valve, H, by which the volume of air can be controlled.

All the above-described apparatus is in common use on blast-furnaces, and the elbow G is usually provided with a removable cap at the rear, held in place by keys or other suitable fastenings.

It often occurs while the furnace is under full blast that the stock in the furnace will form an arch above the tuyeres, which arch will eventually give way, causing the material above to fall, and if there should be liquid slag below the tuyeres the falling of stock into the same will often cause it to splash and flow into the tuyeres, where it will in a very short time harden to such a degree that it will choke up the belly-pipe E, and in some cases even fill the pipe as well as the elbow G and lower portion of the leg F. If the slag is allowed to harden in the pipes, they have to be removed and the slag chipped out or new pipes inserted in their stead, and frequently two or more tuyeres will become clogged at the same time, so that innnediate action is absolutely necessary.

The usual method of allowing the molten slag to escape from the elbow and belly-pipe is to remove the cap at the rear of the elbow; but this is generally a very hazardous proceeding, as the cap has to be propped up in position, the keys removed, and the props then knocked away, the latter operation frequently being performed by the attendant at risk of his life. After the molten slag has been removed the cap has to be replaced, and this is also a dangerous operation, for the attendant has to stand directly in front of the openended elbow, and at any moment another movement of the stock in the furnace and another splash of molten slag into and through the pipe E may take place. As the blast has to be stopped while the cap is being removed and replaced, the furnace in many instances is cooled to such an extent during this oper ation that chilling of the furnace takes place, necessitating extensive repairs at heavy cost.

I overcome the difliculties above described in the following manner:

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that instead of the removable cap at the rear of the elbow G, I use a valve, I, having its seat around the opening in the rear of the elbow.

The valve is secured to an arm, I, of a bellcrank lever, L, pivoted to a bracket, g, on the elbow G, the other arm, 1', of said lever being connected by a link, 7a, to a piston-rod, it,

which is secured to a piston, K, working in a cylinder, M, attached, for convenience, in the present instance to the casing of the valve H.

The head m of the cylinder is merely to guide the piston-rod, and is provided with one or more orifices, 'm, through which air is admitted to the under side of the piston, and any leakage past the piston can escape to the atmosphere, and will not be confined in the cylinder, so as to act as a cushion and prevent the descent of the piston to close the valve I.

Extending around the furnace is a pipe, N,

communicating with the hot -blast pipe B through the medium of a pipe, '12, which is provided with a three-way valve, 29, having an exhaust-opening, p, to the atmosphere; and each cylinder M is connected to the pipe N by a pipe, f, provided with a three-way valve, 1), preferably of the same construction as the valve 19, so that by operating the valve 19 to close the communication between the blastpipe B and the pipe N the air in the .pipeN and in all of the cylinders M is allowed to escape through the exhaust-opening 9, so as to permit the opening of all the valves of all of the tuyeres, while by operating the valve 1) one cylinder, M, may be out off from the pipe II when it is required to operate on the valve of one tuyere only.

To an opening, '5, in the valve I is adapted a plug, 1," having in it a sight-hole for the purpose of observing the condition of the interior of the tuyere, this plug being secured to one arm of a lever, i and being provided with a suitable glass through which the interior of the tuyere may be observed.

The lever i is pivoted to the valve I, and is weighted sufliciently to overcome any press-.

ure on the plug '5, and when access to the tuyere is desired without removing the valve I the lever 6 carrying the plug 1'', is raised, thus allowing a rod to be passed into the opening 1' to clean the outlet of the tuyere.

The operation is as follows: When the furnace is running properly, the pressure per square inch of area is the same on the piston K of the cylinder M as it is on the valve I; but the force exerted on the piston is more than that on the valve, owing to the larger area of piston. Consequently the valve is kept closed by the pressure on the piston; but

as soon as the pressure on the piston is relieved the valve will be forced outward by the pressure of air in the belly-pipe, and any slag in the tuyere, belly-pipe, or elbow will be blown out. This can be effected instantaneously by the mere turning of one or other of the valves 1) or b, as circumstances require, and the valve I can be again closed by opening said valves 1) or b, so as to restore the pressure on the piston K, the attendant running no risk whatever, as the valves 19 and 12 can be arranged at one side of or at a distance from the tuyeres. If, for instance, a falling of the stock in the furnace causes molten slag to splash into one or more of the tuyeres, the attendant can see at a glance through the sight-holes which tuyere or tuyeres contain the molten slag, and by turning the valve 1) of the cylinder for operating the blow-off valve of each tuyere to be acted upon the pressure on the piston of said valve will be relieved and the valve immediately forced open and the slag in the tuyere blown out. The valve 12 is then turned back, so that the pressure on the piston is restored and the valve I again brought to its seat, the tuyeres being restored to operative condition again without the loss of time and without cutting off the blast from the pipe B. If all the tuyeres require cleaning at once, the valve p is turned so as to open all the valves simultaneously and shut them simultaneously after opening.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the cylinder M directly in the rear of the valve I, which is secured to the piston K, the cylinder being supported by the elbow G.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the valved opening in the elbow G is on the under side and is directly in line with the leg-pipe F, so that when the valve is opened the molten slag will be blown downward instead of outward, this construction being especially applicable to furnaces having inflammable material around them.

In Fig. 3 the cylinder is situated between the leg-pipe F and the furnace and suitably mounted upon the elbow G.

In Fig. 4 the cylinder is secured to the hotblast pipe and the piston-rod connected to a lever, L, carrying the valve I.

In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the elbow G is also provided at the rear with a removable cap, G, in which are the sight and plug holes.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown a pipe, 8, communicating with the belly-pipe E in advance of the elbow, and also communicating with the cylinder M, so that the valve I will be worked automatically to clear the tuyeres and blow-pipes of slag as soon as it splashes in. The valve 6 is turned so as to completely out off the cylinder from communication with either the pipe N or atmosphere. The cylinder will then receive its air solely from the belly-pipe E through the pipe 5.

The opening 3 in the blow-pipe, communicatin g with the pipe 3, is very small. As soon as slag gains access to the tuyeres and bellypipes, it closes up this small orifice 8, without, however, flowing into the pipe 8, and as the flow of air into the cylinder is thus cut off the air in the cylinder back of this piston will soon leak past the piston, a small hole, 8 being drilled in the piston or in the head of the cylinder for this purpose, thus allowing the valve I to open, thereby discharging the slag and clearing the small opening 3, and permitting air under pressure to once more gain access to the pipe 3 and cylinder M, and thus gradually close the valve L.

The pipe 8 can be disconnected by turning the valve 8 Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the position of the cylinder depends greatly on the construction of the furnace. The valve and piston could be operated in the same manner from acoldblast pipe as well as from a hot-blast pipe,

tween the cylinder and the atmosphere; butI prefer in all cases to use a simple three-way valve.

A diaphragm may be used in place of the piston, it being considered the equivalent of the same.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the series of tuyeres, a blast-pipe having leg-pipes and belly-pipes, one for each tuyere, a blow-cit valve in each belly-pipe, a cylinder having a piston connected to said valve, a communication between the blast-pipe and each of the cylinders, and an air-outlet from each cylinder, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a series of tuyeres, a blast-pipe having a leg-pipe and a belly-pipe for each tuyere, a blow-off valve in each bellypipe, a cylinder having a piston connected to said valve, a pipe adapted to supply the cylinders with air, a valved communication between said pipe and the main blast-pipe, and valved communications between the said airsupply pipe and each of the valved operatingcylinders, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a series of tuyeres, a blast-pipe having a leg-pipe and belly-pipe for each tuyere, ablow-off valve in each bellypipe, a cylinder having a piston connected to said valve, a pipe adapted to supply the cylinders with air, a valved communication between said pipe and the main blast-pipe, valved communications between said air-supply pipe and each of the valve-operating cylinders, and a communication between each belly-pipe and its valve-operating cylinder, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a series of tuyeres, the blast-pipe with its leg-pipe and belly-pipe for each tuyere, a blow-oft valve closing an opening at the outer portion of each belly-pipe, a cylinder located out of line with the bellypipe, and a piston adapted to said cylinder and connected to the blow-off valve, all substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a series of tuyeres, a blast-pipe having leg-pipe and belly-pipe for each tuyere, a valved opening in the belly-pipe in line with the leg-pipe, a cylinder having a piston connected to said valve, a communication between the cylinder and the blast-pipe, and an air-outlet from said cylinder, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have sign ed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX B'ICCARTIIY.

V itn esses:

ELMER E. ALTENDERFER, J. D. Roman. 

